AT&T plans to relocate its Springfield call center and as many as 200 jobs to other facilities in Illinois, including to a call center in Rantoul, the company confirmed Wednesday.

AT&T declined to give specific employment numbers but said in a statement the figure would be no more than 200. The center at 5020 Ash Grove Road is just off Interstate 72 at the west edge of Springfield.

Local union workers can accept transfer to Rantoul, about 90 miles east of Springfield, according to the company. Workers who move to Rantoul will be given a relocation allowance, while other employees will be given priority for openings within AT&T.

Workers, who asked not to be identified, told The State Journal-Register they were notified at a meeting with company executives on Wednesday.

“To better service our customers and increase efficiency, we are consolidating work currently done at our call center ... in Springfield into other facilities,” spokesman Marty Richter said in an emailed statement.

Richter said the relocation would not affect overall AT&T employment in Illinois. He said employees have until Aug. 2 to relocate or find other jobs with AT&T. Workers who leave the company or cannot find another job will be given severance pay.

“We remain committed to Illinois and continue to hire in the state,” Richter said, noting that AT&T hired 1,600 starting in 2013 through the first four months of 2014 and plans to hire another 240 statewide.

Richter said plans are to sell the Springfield building, but specifics were not yet available.

Cingular Wireless opened the 100,000-square-foot building on Ash Grove Road at a cost of $23 million in 2001, according to newspaper archives. The building had capacity for up to 700 employees. Cingular later became part of AT&T.

Springfield economic development director Mike Farmer said the building is in a city enterprise zone. New construction or major renovation projects in an enterprise zone can qualify for a sales tax break on locally purchased materials.

“There's potential there for the enterprise zone,” said Farmer. “It would depend on the circumstances of the tenant.”